The other week I heard a local conservative radio talk show host say when discussing the extension of the Bush tax cuts, “Hey, if I’m well off and the government wants to give me another $600 a year I’m not going to complain!”. Or something very similar – like I said it was a few weeks ago.

Yes friends, the deception is that ingrained.

What do I mean by deception?

By deception I mean the belief by taxpayers that tax cuts are government handouts.

Maybe it’s because taxes are only a few lines on our pay stubs, or maybe it’s because of cultural brainwashing, but Americans seem to forget the fact that the taxes we pay is our money first.

If we paid no taxes our paycheck would be identical to our gross wage (that’s a pleasant fantasy isn’t it?). If employers were not responsible for pretending that they pay half of our social security taxes our pay check would be even higher than our gross wage. One truly understands the cost of social security taxes when they are self-employed and have to write a check for the full amount!

Whose money is it?

Move a little closer to you monitor. A little closer. Just between you, and me, and the rest of the capitalist world. IT’S OUR MONEY!

We earn our money.

Does the government go to your job and perform the work? Does the government go to school and/or train to do your job? Does the government get the praise for doing your job well? Or accept the blame for mistakes at your job? Does the government earn the promotion or demotion, pay raise or pay cut? No.

We produce. The government does not.

What do ya’ know? It is my money!

Above all, don’t fool yourself. We give money to the government in taxes. The government does NOT pay us for private sector work and keep a little for itself.

So the next time you hear tax cuts described as “the government giving you money”, kindly but firmly, remind them that, “The government is not giving you money, it is letting you keep more of your money”.